


Mother

by SeleneMoon



Series: Say Uncle [2]
Category: Agent Carter (TV), Marvel, The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: F/M, Genderfluid Loki, M/M, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-06
Updated: 2020-01-06
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:13:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22142356
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeleneMoon/pseuds/SeleneMoon
Summary: When Loki needs a break from his brother (or more specifically his brother's friends) and father, he disguises himself and travels the Nine Realms.Maria Carbonell caught the eye of Howard Stark at a college lecture.In which Loki is exceptional at disguises. Maria is caught unawares. Howard thinks he's too old to be a father. And Ana and Edwin Jarvis are extremely excited.(No cheating happens in this fic.)
Relationships: Edwin Jarvis & Howard Stark, Howard Stark & Ana Jarvis, Howard Stark/Loki, Howard Stark/Maria Stark, Maria Stark & Ana Jarvis, Maria Stark & Edwin Jarvis
Series: Say Uncle [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1251086
Comments: 10
Kudos: 51





	Mother

**Author's Note:**

> So this is a continuation of my "Say Uncle" series. Part of my ongoing effort to set up everything for the two big works I'm planning "Uncle" and then "Nephew". 
> 
> There are some minor references to the Agent Carter series (which I will continue to recommend because it is good), but since this takes place over two decades after the series ended, it's not super relevant.

Sometimes Loki needed to get away for a decade or two. He got fed up with his father or his brother’s friends and decided to leave and blow off some steam before he snapped and ruined their lives. It wasn’t so bad when the Warriors Three and Sif were not around, Thor tended to act like the people he was with. Loki couldn’t decide if this was a weakness in his character or a strength. It certainly gained him more friends and respect than Loki ever had. Regardless, this tendency constantly tempted Loki to remove the Warriors Three from their lives, the only thing that stopped him was uncertainty of who would replace them. So, he would leave. He probably knew the Nine Realms better than any other Asgardian, as he would travel there and become one of the locals, usually female to avoid identification. Heimdel might see all, but he rarely identified Loki unless he was standing directly in front of him.

He stole away to Midgard this time. He’d just dragged Thor to bed after his many ‘friends’ and admirers left the man slumped over a table, passed out from his wounds and drink. There was going to be days, weeks of revelry to celebrate today’s victory and Loki wanted no part of it. He alerted Frigga of his brother’s wounds and slipped away. They hadn’t visited Midgard in sometime, it would be fascinating to see how it changed.

Loki observed for a time, pleased with the advancement of science here. It was like watching a child taking their first steps, saying their first words. He created an eager young college student and fell easily into her new role.

She was incredibly excited the day Howard Stark was announced as a keynote speaker at her school. Even she had to admit he was a genius, working with only the simplest tools limited him. She took a seat near the front, beside her giggling friends and settled her eyes on the man she had come to see. He was a true showman, dramatic, involving the crowd. Challenging them.

She wasn’t one to back down from a challenge.

She stood in the middle of his speech, walked up to the chalkboard he’d written an equation for his theoretical arc reactor on, and modified it with a few decisive strokes of the chalk. She turned to the man.

“Seems a lot less theoretical now, doesn’t it?” She smiled sweetly. He examined the board then turned his gaze on her as if she were infinitely more fascinating.

“And what might your name be?”

“Maria.” She set down the chalk with a definite clack. “Maria Carbonell.”

Howard Stark was intelligent, charming, and wealthy, all qualities she liked. She didn’t flaunt her own intellect. She would look at his work over his shoulder and make some minor alteration that had great and positive affects. He wooed her. Maria allowed herself to be wooed, enjoying the dinners, flowers, and pearls, but feeling little more than fondness and admiration for a man who made so much out of so little. All that changed when he was called into work while on a date with her. There was no time to take her home so she went with him. There she witnessed him trick three people, talk a general into planting a spy into his competitor’s company, and manipulate two enemies into working together. This man peaked ~~Loki~~ Maria’s interest. The more she saw of him (and Howard made sure she saw more of it when he noticed its affect on her) the more she seemed to fall in love.

So when he took her out for a day of science and double-dealing, it only made sense for her to accept when he got on one knee and proposed. Making her the only woman to walk away from Howard Stark with a diamond ring instead of a bracelet.

Then, three months after the wedding, she was taken completely by surprise.

“Feeling unwell again?” Ana Jarvis asked sympathetically as Maria dragged herself into the dining room.

“Yes, I just can’t seem to shake it.” Maria sighed. She’d been having on and off nausea for the past two weeks.

“Are you quite certain you don’t want me to arrange a doctor’s appointment, ma’am?” Jarvis, Edwin Jarvis, asked in concern. Maria opened her mouth to decline, but Ana scoffed over her.

“Really, Edwin.” She admonished, placing a plate of toast and a cup of ginger tea down in front of her the way she had been every time Maria had come down looking faintly green. “If she wants to do this the old fashioned way, you have no business butting in.” Jarvis paused pouring orange juice and tilted his head in confusion.

“The old fashioned way? Ana, what ever do you mean?”

“Why the pregnancy, of course.” Ana said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Maria choked on her tea and Jarvis slowly put down the pitcher.

“Ma’am,” He began, excitement beginning to glimmer in his eyes. “Are you-?”

“No!” Maria spluttered, putting her teacup down in the saucer hard enough for it to rattle. “No! Of course not!”

“If you aren’t then you really should listen to Edwin.” She said mischievously. “Because that’s the only good reason you have for spending so much time in the bathroom every morning.” She sighed. “My mother got awful morning sickness too.”

“No. It’s just a cold.” Maria protested.

“Ma’am, you do tend to feel better later in the day.” Jarvis pointed out as delicately as he could.

“But I… I can’t- it can’t be!” Maria insisted. It simply wasn’t possible. Certainly her transformation was good, exceptional even, but it couldn’t be so complete as to- to allow her to…

“I think we best let a doctor be the judge.” Jarvis said gently. Maria stared at him. Then her eyes narrowed as she glanced between the couple.

“Was this an elaborate ruse to get me to see a doctor?” She asked.

“Did it work?” Ana smirked. Maria squinted. Now that she’d voiced the thought she knew it wasn’t a ruse, but she’d still play along.

“Yes. Make the appointment.”

She was pregnant. She, Maria Stark a.k.a. _Loki, Prince of Asgard_ was pregnant. She stared at her hands as she sat in her husband’s well furnished study. Howard was on one of his expeditions but she’d wanted to be close to him. How could she be pregnant? Yes, she prided herself on her perfectionism. And she and Howard weren’t in a celibate relationship. But… There really was no but. She was pregnant. She was going to have a child.

She wished she could talk to her mother, but she wasn’t sure if it was safe for the baby. Though the doctor’s advice seemed rather suspect to her, she’d be following Ana’s remedies much more closely than the doctor’s prescriptions, it was clear that she had to be careful. Plenty of unusual energy was tossed about on the trip to Asgard. It seemed to be an unwise risk. That and… she simply could not tolerate anyone else in Asgard knowing. She wasn’t _ashamed_ , but she wouldn’t be mocked. Her brother could not keep such a secret, and while he might tease her lightheartedly, his friends would be outright cruel to both her and the child. And her father… her condition so challenged the old thinking of masculinity that Maria was not even certain that Odin would permit her to carry her child to term. So, she would have to forgo her mother’s wisdom and support also.

A tear splashed on to her clasped hands, startling her. She hastily wiped her eyes. This was ridiculous. She was fine. She could do this. She didn’t need Thor or Frigga. She was… She… She-

“Maria?” Maria looked up and found Howard hovering above her.

“Howard, you’re back. I thought you were gone for another three days.” She lightly rubbed around her eyes, wary of any makeup smudges.

“Jarvis called and told me I was needed here.” He knelt down in front of her and took her hands in his. “What is it? Did something happen?” He asked, staring up into her eyes, deep concern lining his features. Maria laughed weakly.

“I guess you could say that.” She said. She bit her lip and looked away. “I’m pregnant.” That startled him enough for him to release her hands.

“You are?” He sounded astonished. She laughed.

“Yes, that was pretty much my reaction too.”

“I… That’s good news!” He exclaimed, but she knew his tells. He was making a show of it.

“You don’t have to lie on my account.” She told him dryly. He paused and rubbed his mustache.

“It’s not, _not_ good news.” He revised. “It’s very… unexpected.”

“You have no idea.” Maria muttered.

“Just… Maria, I’m almost sixty.” He said, a slight exaggeration, he was only fifty-three. “I didn’t think, by now I just didn’t think that kids were in the cards for me.”

“I feel the same.” She said. Though she appeared to be in her early thirties, and was actually closer to a millennia old (with several more millennia ahead of her), she’d never considered settling down long enough to raise a family or met someone she’d wanted to have a family with. Did she want to raise a child with Howard? She stared into his conflicted face, vulnerability had replaced the poker face that usually covered a devious smirk. Yes… Yes, she thought she did. “Are you okay with it?” She asked, apprehensively.

“I have to be.” He said. Then he chuckled. “My mother will be sorry she missed it.” He commented. His mother long since dead.

“So will mine.” Maria said softly. “My brother would be so happy.”

“So would mine.” Maria thought that Howard murmured. She squinted at him. He was lost in thought. Question for another time. She decided as they lapsed into silence.

“Ana and Jarvis will keep us from mucking it up too badly, right?” Howard finally said. Maria laughed.

“If anyone can, it’s them.” She replied with a grin.


End file.
